Thread: Bifocal safety glasses

Had a chat with our safety supplier and he has made these comments

These style of glasses are called BIFOCAL.

The Australian Standard AS1337 does not recognise this product. The primary reason is that the Standard specifies that all safety glasses must have ZERO Magnification and or Refraction power within the field of vision.

The bifocal magnification lens cuts into the field of vision and therefore can not be certified to the AS/NZS1337


Something to be aware of when buying from overseas is that they may not meet australian standards.

I've always relied on my prescription glasses doubling as safety lenses.

The problem to remember is GRINDING.

Certainly with the plastics, and also with the (very exxy) glass lenses, the "hidden" sparks coming off when gringing fuse with the lens, and permanently mark it.

My cycle seems to be:

Get new specs
Suffer stroke at cost
Vow to use SG's over them always
Promise myself that I WILL do it if I'm grinding anything
Ah, just this once I can't be bothered, but I WILL stand to the side so she'll be right
Suddenly realise that there are 1/2 dozen pits in the lenses
AH , doesn't matter now, just use them.
Spend a lot of time looking past the spots.
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regards

Originally Posted by rrich

When you get new glasses, just order shatter proof lenses. Or even polycarbonate.

problem with this approach is that "normal" glasses provide very little if any protection from objects taht come in from the side


ian

Originally Posted by Jim Carroll

Had a chat with our safety supplier and he has made these comments

These style of glasses are called BIFOCAL.

The Australian Standard AS1337 does not recognise this product. The primary reason is that the Standard specifies that all safety glasses must have ZERO Magnification and or Refraction power within the field of vision.

The bifocal magnification lens cuts into the field of vision and therefore can not be certified to the AS/NZS1337

typical !
wearing a clear shield over a pair of Bifocals is OK (according to the standard) but wearing bifocal safety specs is not

Something to be aware of when buying from overseas is that they may not meet australian standards.

I'll let someone else run down all the details, but a quick browse of the UVEX web site strongly suggests that at least some models of their safety glasses meet both the US ANSI and the Australian Standards


ian

Alistair we are all guilty of this same as when you apply glue or a finish on the lathe and turn it back on and the spray gets you gaurenteed it will cover your glasses. Bugger to get of.

Using normal prescription glasses as safety glasses will not protect your eyes from impact, they are not shatter resistant. Presciption safety glasses use CR39 lenses which are impact resistant many times that of normal lenses

Originally Posted by China

Using normal prescription glasses as safety glasses will not protect your eyes from impact, they are not shatter resistant. Presciption safety glasses use CR39 lenses which are impact resistant many times that of normal lenses

That's not what my optician tells me. CR39 is your normal "plastic" lens, don't know how impact resistant they are, but certainly far more than a standard glass lens.

Safety glasses are made from polycarbonate, I have a pair of multifocal polycarbonate lenses in my "shed glasses", they are much thicker than the standard CR39 lenses. My normal lenses are very high refractive index "plastic" lenses and are about half the thickness of the polycarbonate ones and about 2-3 times the price. Ultimately safety glasses would be better, but I can't work with a pair of safety glasses over the top of my normal glasses.

Oh and the frames I use in the shed are much larger, giving me a wider protection zone, than my normal "fashionable" frames.

Originally Posted by China

Using normal prescription glasses as safety glasses will not protect your eyes from impact, they are not shatter resistant. Presciption safety glasses use CR39 lenses which are impact resistant many times that of normal lenses

Prescription GLASS lenses can be chemically or thermally hardened. Standard PLASTIC prescription lenses are referred to as CR39, however, to meet the standards for protection, the the lenses need to be from polycarbonate material or a derivative. Side shields would need to be incorporated.

Zelk

Got my safety glasses Friday

just under 2 weeks delivery

$AUS 25.45 all up

They fit well , yet to use them , good vision , also come coated with anti fog

Happy puppy

Originally Posted by ratchet

Got my safety glasses Friday

just under 2 weeks delivery

25.45 all up

They fit well , yet to use them , good vision , also come coated with anti fog

Happy puppy

Which ones and what supplier??

http://www.woodcraft.com/family.aspx...oductID=147866

bifocal lenses

Don't know if you can get Wizard products in Aus, I use these:
http://www.axminster.co.uk/product.a...file=1&jump=44
They only come in 1/2 dioptre steps but that's normally good enough unless you have an astigmatism or something else wrong with your vision.

Mine cost about $600. Tax deductable, of course.
They are progressives and made to the Aust. Standards

Just got my bifocal safety glasses from Woodcraft. Great service - got them in less than a week. Added a few other products to get value out of the freight.

I am very happy with their quality, wearability and functionality.

Pity you can't get these in Aust.